


For the Love of the Moon

by KikoRush96



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Accidental Spying, F/M, Frustrated!Katara, Katara Hates Kataang, Stealth!Suki, Zuko is just a respectful cinnamon roll
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 08:34:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11642838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KikoRush96/pseuds/KikoRush96
Summary: Suki doesn't mean to hear the things she does, or uncover the secret she did, but she's glad she was able to help regardless.





	For the Love of the Moon

**Author's Note:**

> Ah I'm trying my hand at one-shots since I'm quite awful at keeping my stories from spiraling out of control and dragging on far too long. Also, I was struck with the fun idea of Suki eavesdropping on our favorite couple. 
> 
> I hope this is okay for everyone. Xx

Suki had only meant to be under the bed for a few seconds. Just to see if Katara had clothes under there to wash. The girl was usually very organized and clean, but even those kinds of people misplaced something. As she was searching, she heard voices, one higher and one distinctly lower, entering the room. Panicking she did the only thing a sensible person caught in an awkward position would do.

She slid further under the bed and waited for them to leave.

Once the voices got closer, she realized she recognized the higher voice as Katara's, though the deeper one was still a mystery. It was vaguely familiar, as if she'd heard it from a distance before, but the face that it belonged to was just out of her reach. Moving slowly as to not make any noise and alert her friend and whoever the guy was there with her, she turned her head to get a look at their feet. She wasn't sure what she should have expected, but the pointed black and gold boots of a certain firebender were definitely not it.

Didn't they hate each other? Or, at least, didn't Katara hate him? If he was in her room, then maybe she was giving him a chance to explain, to prove that he was loyal to their group. Suki doubted the stubborn waterbender would really listen to him, but perhaps this was a step in the right direction. It hadn't sounded like they were shouting on the way there; in fact, Suki swore she heard one of them laugh.

"Thanks for helping with the dishes again, Zuko. It's nice that someone around here wants to help out, though I suppose I hardly expected it to be the Fire Nation prince." Suki nearly bumped her head as the words drifted down to her, the tone lighthearted and, dare she say it, teasing? Since when were words like that uttered towards the bane of the waterbender's existence? And not in a way that was meant to scorch his skin? Suki didn't know fully what happened between them, but it must have been something awful to warrant such anger towards him.

"Ah, but I'm a banished and treasonous Fire Nation Prince, so this isn't all that crazy when you think about it. Besides, life on the road with my uncle taught me a thing or two about helping out." The bed shifted above her and the feet were now connected to legs that were dangerously close to her. Suki could reach out and touch him if she wanted to. Katara's boot wrapped feet moved closer to the pointed ones, blue Water Tribe robe also within reach.

"You'll find him Zuko, and he'll be really proud of what you've done. How you've changed." What sounded like a snort or maybe a cough echoed around the room, followed by a barely audible "sorry". Suki's arms were starting to tingle and she was pretty sure there was a cramp in her leg and back, but suddenly she wasn't in such a rush to leave the room. Yeah, it was wrong to eavesdrop in a conversation clearly very personal, but that didn't mean she didn't want to hear what transpired between the waterbender and firebender.

"I know what will cheer you up...." Suddenly things were happening too fast for Suki to keep up with. One second they were by her face under the bed, then there was movement, and now suddenly the first pair of boots were gone and the other were dangling from the bed. There was an eerie silence, save for rustling and small movement, and now Suki felt a sharp blush blooming on her cheeks.

When had this started happening? How was she going to get out before it escalated? Had it escalated before?! She didn't know whether to block her ears or try to listen closer; Katara was her best friend, so it was her duty to protect her, but this was clearly a very secret and very intimate moment that she was intruding on. As she flip flopped the choices in her head, there was a sharp intake of breath above her, followed by a girly giggle.

She needed to escape.

Suki was a master of stealth, so she reasoned she could make it to the door without being spotted. The other pair of feet disappeared and that was her cue to get out of there pronto. Another giggle, a huff of breath, and shifting weight allowed her to slide out without the sound of fabric alerting them to her presence. 

Now just a couple of feet and she'd be home free. She crawled as close to the shadows of the room as she could, resisting the urge to see if they had spotted her yet. Better to look dumb sneaking around then chance a look and waste time. Just as she was about to soar through the doorway and make a run for the courtyard, she heard talking again from the bed.

"Wait, what about Aang?" Suki froze, afraid they'd see her now that they weren't distracted. There was an exasperated huff followed by movement and a startled sound that was a little unbecoming for future Fire Lords.

"What about him?" Came the coy retort. Suki was pretty impressed with Katara, giving her a mental pat on the back. What sounded like the start of a snicker, or maybe a protest, was cut off sharply. Then a groan of annoyance echoed around the room and more movement, this time Suki saw the firebender standing over the bed with his arms crossed. She couldn't see his face, but his stance was rigid, and while Suki couldn't see Katara very well either, she knew the girl would probably be glaring.

"Look, I just don't want to cause any problems with the Avatar. At least while we're training for him to fight my father." Suki wanted to snort; people cared too much about keeping Aang from falling apart. To keep him happy. She felt bad for him because he rarely got the truth; rarely got to understand consequences.

"Zuko, there's nothing between the Avatar and me. He just....I'll tell him the truth eventually. Now if you'll just-" Suki watched as Katara sat up, reaching for him, and how the older boy stepped back. Sometimes his honor code was very annoying, but Suki felt maybe Zuko had a point. Still, Katara deserved to be happy, to be a little selfish. 

It was a tough situation for sure.

"So you're going to be this way about it? I thought we - but I guess I was wrong." A pause. "Please get out. I just- I need to be alone." A curt nod from the firebender and Suki had to scoot back slightly to avoid being spotted by the door, though she wasn't sure if he'd notice her if a spotlight had been on her. After he had stormed out, Suki moved to escape again, but heard what sounded like soft sobs coming from the bed. Her heartstrings pulled, she took a deep breath and stood up, pretending she'd just entered the room.

Thankfully Katara was too busy crying into her knees to really notice.

"Katara? Hey what's wrong?" She feigned surprise to find her crying, hoping the girl wouldn't notice. The waterbender curled further in on herself, probably trying to hide away from her. Suki settled on the bed next to her, ignoring the fact Zuko had been here only moments before.

Not one to be pushy, Suki let Katara cry herself out. While Katara was usually pushing to find out what was wrong with others, the girl herself wasn't one to keep things inside. If she wanted to share, she would. Suki just rubbed her friend's back and waited.

"Suki, what would you do if you really liked a guy, were getting positive signals back, and then he just...." she trailed off, feet sliding off the bed and hands coming to fall in her lap. Suki knew exactly who she was talking about, which surprised her: when had Katara started to really like Zuko?

"I think," she started, resting a hand on Katara's shoulder gently. "If he's as into you as you are him, he'll come around. And if he doesn't? Well, you deserve better anyway." The waterbender nodded, sniffling still and avoiding Suki's eyes. Maybe she could coax the identity of the boy out of her, if only so Katara knew she could trust Suki.

"Is there any particular reason you've asked me? Is it about Aang?" Katara groaned at the Avatar's name, jumping up from the bed and coming to stand before Suki, body taking the same stance Zuko's had been in just before. Her brows furrowed and her lips were tugged down in a frown.

"I wish people would stop asking about Aang! Just because he likes me doesn't mean we have to be a thing. Sure I care about him, but he's not my boyfriend." Suki drew her hands up to show she was leaning no harm, the way you would a caged animal, before speaking again. She tried to catch the wild blue eyes, but they were frantically flicking around the room.

"I wasn't implying you were his girlfriend at all. But, it wouldn't be too far fetched to think you might like him, Katara. I mean, you defend him so fiercely and care so strongly, people can get mixed messages." She paused, letting Katara take that in before continuing. "It's obvious to anyone with eyes, or i suppose feet in Toph's case, that Aang has feelings for you, and that you don't want to hurt those feelings. I understand. Just don't be surprised if people pull the wrong conclusions or might not want to pursue you with that situation. If I were a boy, and I really cared about you, I'd respect that you're in a tough spot with Aang, in the middle of a war no less, and back off a bit. No sense making the situation harder for you and the group, right?" The girl dropped her defenses and sighed, eyes falling to the side as she rubbed her arm.

"I guess you're right Suki. I just want to think about me for once. Not about Aang or Sokka or Toph. Not about chores or travel or hiding out. Definitely not about the impending battle. I want to enjoy myself a little, I guess. I know it's foolish of me, especially with the way I treat everyone, but I don't always like being the mother hen to everyone." She looked suddenly embarrassed, finger coming to twirl her hair and body shifting into a defensive posture.

"I better go. I have to.....go sort something out. Thanks Suki."

 

And later on, when the dinner dishes had been cleared away and the group was huddled by the campfire exchanging stories, Suki noticed with a breath of relief that Katara was smiling and laughing again, and that Zuko was sharing most of those smiles with her over Aang's arrow tattoo.


End file.
